How to install your Netgear wg111v2 wireless dongle on Edgy

Install your Netgear wg111v2 using ndiswrapper. Some have reported success using the existing rtl8187 driver, but I recommend against it. Your first task is to confirm which hardware you're actually using. Ubuntu Forum member, kvonb, figured out that some of the wg111v2's actually use the wg111v1 chipset - they're essentially mislabeled. His recommendation for discovering which hardware you're using requires that you plug it in, and run: (*The light on your hardware may or may not work. Disregard it.)

Code:

lsusb | grep NetGear

The output will show one of two devices: 0846:4240 is the v2. If you're using v1, you can follow the same steps, but the driver you install will be different.

STEP: Blacklist the existing drivers:

Code:

sudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist

Copy and paste the following to the bottom of the file. Save it. Close it.

STEP: Download the driver from Netgear
Select version 1.3 (if you're using v2). Download wg111v2_1_3_0.zip to your desktop. Right-click on the file and extract it to your desktop. For ease of use, rename the extracted folder to: "NetgearV2".

STEP: Configure NDISWRAPPER. Replace <username> with yours. Edit path as necessary. One command at a time.

Re: How to install your Netgear wg111v2 wireless dongle on Edgy

Originally Posted by phossal

Do not immediately insert the wg111v2. Avoid the gui configuration tools. Disable wep/wpa on your router. The wg111v2 is "supported out of the box" using the r*818* driver, meaning it does not require the ndiswrapper. Ignore that. Devices beginning with serial numbers like 1AC* (wg111v2) use the ndiswrapper.

NOTES:
The light on my wg111v2 dongle blinks at lengthy intervals. The light activity is not a good reference point for connectivity or operation. Ignore it.
I successfully installed both versions of the Netgear wg111 (wg111, wg111v2) on 32bit Ubuntu. There is a reported incompatibility with 64bit Ubuntu.
I installed all of the drivers for both versions (wg111, wg111v2) in ndiswrapper to test which work, and which do not. Each version works with all of its respective drivers.
"wlan0" should be replaced with the appropriate interface (wlan1, eth0, eth1, etc) in the tutorial below. When I install both wg111, and wg111v2 they appear as wlan0 and wlan1 for me.

DEVICES:
0846:4240 - You may have success with version 1 driver (Note kvonb's experience above)
0846:6a00 - You may have success with version 2 driver

.1. Install ndiswrapper, specifically ndiswrapper-utils-1.8

Code:

sudo apt-get install ndiswrapper-utils-1.8

2. Blacklist existing drivers.*

Code:

sudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist

Copy and paste the following to the bottom of the file. Save it. Close it.

NOTE: I have used both versions of the wg111. I found that both dongles (wg111, wg111v2) were recognized "out of the box" using the r*818* drivers, but would not associate with the router. Blacklist them, download the appropriate version driver from Netgear, and use ndiswrapper.

Re: How to install your Netgear wg111v2 wireless dongle on Edgy

Re: How to install your Netgear wg111v2 wireless dongle on Edgy

"but would not associate with the router"

Beg to differ with you on this. The adapter links perfectly with my router (Netgear as well) "out of the box" using the driver built into the kernel, so there is no need for ndiswrapper, and it is worth trying this way first. You do need to sort out your interfaces file and include the ESSID for your LAN wireless network, and accept that you won't get any flashing lights on your adapter.